What's With Those Drinking Water Sampling Stations?

Have you walked by a heavy cast iron Drinking Water Sampling Station and wondered about its purpose? The other morning I spotted a man from the Department of Environmental Protection at an open sampling station. I asked him about his job.

Our DEP employee samples some water on site and collects some to send back to a lab. “I collect water all over this area,” he said.

According to the DEP website:

Water samples are analyzed for bacteria, chlorine levels, pH, inorganic and organic pollutants, turbidity, odor, and many other water quality indicators.

There are 965 Drinking Water Sampling Stations citywide – three on Ocean Ave between Ditmas and Newkirk. Why so many in this area?

Locations for the stations were chosen based on the need to gather representative samples of the water quality in all distribution areas. Consequently, factors such as population density, water pressure zones, proximity to water mains, and accessibility were considered.

The Sampling Stations are part of an enhanced water monitoring program that began in 1997.

I asked our DEP employee if this water is potable.

“Oh, yes!” he said. “This water? It’s clean.”